Hitachino Nest Lacto Sweet Stout

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Sweet Stout
Ibaraki, Japan

Bottle, thanks Blankboy. Back pour, tan head. Aroma quite typical for the style leaning on the sweet side - roasted flavours and even some molasses like notes. All of which didn’t set me up for the mouthfeel - wired - it was thin with a strange sharp sweet taste and a very short finish. Not at all what I was expecting when I first saw it. Very lively little beer here that I’m not sure I would treat much more than a novelty, but I am glad I tried it.

11.2 oz. bottle. Faint aroma, some dark, nearly burnt sugary notes, caramel and milky chocolate. Dark brownish black color with a lasting, creamy, tan head. Flavor profile is a bit different from the norm for this style, starting with some lightly bitter, roasty malt and becoming sweeter and more coffeeish before a chocolatey, sour, smoky and lightly herbal hop finish, some lingering hints of tobacco and wood. Reasonably smooth mouthfeel with a light-medium body. Seemingly unique, if nothing else.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, blankboy, tupalev & jerc - courtesy of blankboy. Very dark brown with a big, bubbly, biege head. Aroma is roasty and malty with a strange fishy/salty note in the background. I know that doesn’t seem appealing, but it actually kind of worked. Mouthfeel is fizzy at first, but quickly turns very creamy. Body has the expected milkiness. Flavour of a malted chocolate milkshake, with a slightly sour/lactic finish. Interesting stuff.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, tupalev & jerc. Pours dark brown to black with a huge frothy light brown head. Aroma is mostly caramel malt with a hint of milk chocolate and roasted coffee. As is to be expected this stout is very milky and I enjoyed it’s uniqueness. Flavour is milk, roasted coffee and chocolate. An acquired taste but I really dug it.

Bottle shared with blankboy, jerc, tupalev & gregclow - courtesy of blankboy. Poured with a huge light brown head, dark ruby-black. Aroma striking, with light caramel malt, heavy leafy yeast, burned sugar, heavy sweet table cream, with hints of pine needles and oil-based paint. Incredibly creamy mouthfeel (like Bailey’s), moderately carbonated, sweet, burnt treacle, some balancing hop bitterness. Medium-bodied. I really liked it, but I’m a life-long milk drinker.

Bottle: Pours nearly opaque with a fizzy tanh head and some lace. The aroma has notes of carmel and burnt malts, mocha, coffee, licorice, and grassy hops. The taste starts a bit sweet but a acidic almost lactic sourness does appear. Additionally , I too found a bit of that sake like flavor undertone. The finish has smoke, licorice, and coffee. The feel is fizzy and light, not much there to keep me interested. Okay but not something I would want to try again.

pours an opaque black with some red highlights during the pour, head was huge, fizzy and brown, faded down quickly to a thin tan layer. aromas of chocolate and coffee, little bits of licorice and grassy hops. flavors are sweet chocolate, the lactose is very evident in creating a creaminess and sweet flavors. coffee comes in strong on the aftertaste, with a lingering tanginess. less carbonation would have made this a lot smoother, and better.

$4.00 for a 11.2 oz bottle.
Poured black with a smallish head. Subtle aroma of sweet chocolate, malt and roasty notes. Flavor is a bit dry and not overly sweet at all. Roasty chocolate and coffee. Mild and easy drinking. Overpriced!